Vending machine



Nov. 17, 1925- vzmnme momma Filed June 10. 1924 A. H. DU GRIENIER 3Sheet-Slieet l A. H. DU GRENI'ER VENDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FildJune 10. 1924 A. H. nu GRENIER vmunnw MACHINE Nbv. ,1 7, 1925- Fild June10, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES [PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. DU GRENIER, OF HAVERI-IILL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF TO HAROLD B. WOODS, OF HUDSON, MASSACHUSETTS,

VENDING MACHINE.

Application filed June 10, 1924. Serial No. 719,081.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. DU GRENIER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of Haverhill, county of Essex, and State ofMassachusetts, havev invented an Improvement in Vending Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vending machines of the type which areprimarily designed to dispense spherical articles of uniform size, suchas balls of candy coated fifth or tenth operation, the machine some-'gum, and, more particularly, to machines of this type which are adaptedto dispense a different number of the articles vended at certain times,in a sequence of operations, than at other times, as for example, a machine such as disclosed in-my prior Patent No. 1,490,365, in which asingle ball is delivered on four successive operations, and either twoor three balls f are delivered on the fifth, according to the manner inwhich the machine is adjusted. In the practical operation of thismachine, it has been discovered that when the machine has been adjustedto deliver two extra balls on every times fails to deliver the numberintended, and that this is more likely to occur when the magazine isnearly full than at other times.

The reason for this failure has been found to be largely due to thefact. that the chambers which deliver the extra balls are located'within the circular series of chambers which deliver the single ball oneach operation, so that these inner chambers usually take their supplyfrom the portion of the magazine directly over the middle of the tray.Candy coated balls have atendency to adhere to eachother and to wedgetogether, and are liable to form an arch over the middle portion of themagazine bottom, so that the balls in the middle are supported by thoseat the sides. As a result, under these conditions, the extra ballchambers will exhaust the balls in the resting rectly on or close to thedischarge middlegiortion of the magazine which are tray portion, so thatthese chambers will not be supplied'even though a quantity of balls aresupported directly thereover.

The objects of my present invention are, primarily, to provide a vendingmachine of the type above referred to, which will successively deliver asingle ball and a desired plurality of balls, according to the particular design of delivering tray with which the :machine is fitted, andin which delivery to the desired quantity on each operation is assured,so long as any of the balls to be vended remain in the magazine.

I accomplish these, and other objects, by

providing a magazine for thearticles or balls, having a bottom portionwhich declines to a central opening, in connection with a cylindricallyshaped delivery tray, which is mounted to rotate about a centralvertical axis in said opening and has a convex upper end surface whichdeclines to its periphery, and by arranging both the chambers whichdeliver the extra and the single balls at the periphery of the tray, sothat all the balls are taken from the magazine at this point, saidchambers being provided with declining bottoms located at different'distances from the upper end of'tlie tray which correspond to thediameter, or to multiples of the diameter of the balls, and means beingprovided independently of the tray for preventing lateral discharge ofthe balls from the chambers, except at a predetermined point. Also byprovidin the, delivery tray with radially dispose tionswhich extendupwardly beyond said bottom portion adjacent thereto, and act to pushthe balls horizontally, when the tray is rotated, so that if the ballsshould tend to form into an arch over the tray, the arch will be brokenout at its'bottom.

projec- For a more complete understanding. of

my invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in whichFlg. 1 is a front elevation of a vending machine embodying my invention,with a portion of the outer casing cutaway.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical central sectional views at lines a:w and grespectively of Fi 2.

Fig. 5- is a detail perspective view of the delivery tray.

Fig. 6 is a sectionalview at hne z-z of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the delivery plate driving mechanism. a

1o Fi 8 is a detail-sectional view of the indicatlng mechanism which-Iemploy.

Figs. 9 and 10'are detail side and bottom views of the indicating wheelthereof.

Fig. 11 is a bottom plan view of the delivery tray.

The embodiment of my invention shown is similar in a general wayj-to theapparatus shown in my said prior patent and comprises a base 2, andanouter casing 3, said base .having a delivery on 4 to which aninclined. trough 5 leads. T e base portion is extended upward and inwardto form a table 6 for the delivery mechanism, and an upright circularcasing, or partition 7 is {mounted thereon and secured thereto by ears8which are connected to the-table by screws. A bottom plate 9, isconnected to or formed integrally with the upper edge ofthe partition 7,and vextends outwardly-and vupwardly therefrom at a slight inclinationto the inner surface of the casing 3 A horizontal shelf 10 closes thespace enclosed by the partition 7 at the level of the lower edge of saidpartition, thereby formin with said partition a.cylindrically shapewhich acylindrically shapeddelivery trafy; 12 is rotatablyjmounted on avertical sha v 13,which' is mounted in the shelf 10, in line I nal.diameterof the artition -7, so that the former mayfrotate reelytherein. In the present instance, the form of. delivery tray .shown isdesigned to deliver first one, then two, and then three articles orballs, andto' 7 cure this particular result I-,find it prefer.

' able to rovide \th'ree series ofthree cham bers.l2, 12", 12, whichareformed by recessing, the cylindrical side of the tray from the upper enddown to varying distances equal to the diameter, 017-,multiples of thediameter of 'the balls to bev dispensed. In the present instancethefvertical depth of the chambers 12', .12", and 12, 'corres 0nd to.one, two and three diameters respectively of the balls The bottoms ofthese chambers are inclined downward and outward andthe inner sidesblend with the bottoms in a gradual curve The upper surface of the trayis formed slightly 'convexly and the tray is supported in such aposition that the partition portions 12, between each chain;

recess in the. tray is rotated. vided with-a vertical opening 7, fromtop \to bottom, of the same width as the width of the chambers'12, 12",12, and a semi-tubuwith the axis of the tray, 'a boss 14 being that theballs may pass freely into the chambers. at the upper ends thereof andfrom their peripheral sides, the depth of the chambers horizontally fromthe periphery being slightly less than the diameter of the balls, sothat when the balls are supported on the chambers by the bottomsthereof, the will protrude slightly beyond the perip cry of the tray, asshown-in Fig. 2.

As the radially extending sides of the chambers diverge slightly andsaid cham bers are sufliciently wide to receive theballs projects onlyslightly beyond the end and top edges of the partitions. .These spacesare of sufiicient-size to receive portions of other balls in themagazine, so that as the "within the periphery of the tray, thechampartitions 12 project above the adjacent edge of the bottom plate 9,some of the balls which are supported on the plate will pass into theupper and outer portions of the chambers sufiiciently to be 1n aposition to be engaged by the partitions and pushed ciron the plate 9'when cularly and outwardl he partition 7 is'prolar guiding partition15.is arranged in front of said 0 ening andextends obliquely outward anddownward from the underside of thebottomplate 9 to the outerside of thetrough 5 at 1138 upper end, so that when any ,oneof the chambers of thetray containing 'one or'Jmore balls, is moved into register with-the'vertical opening 7,-in the parti tion, the ball, or balls, as thecase may be, will roll down fromthe bottom of the chamber and fall intothe trough 5 and be delivered to the clip 4. While the purpose of theguiding partition 15 is primarily to direct the balls into the trough 5,it has a further ofierating in conjunction upper end\ of the opening 7%,in the parti- Ill - where the chambers are moved'into register with theopening 7 in the partition 7, so as to prevent any balls from passinginto any one of said chambers while in this position. The plate 16 isadapted to rest at one end by its gravity, on the upper surface of thetray and its opposite portion extends beyond its pivot over the bottom 9and acts as a stop to limit the extent to which said plate may be swungupward. The arrangement is, however, such that a.limite(l up and downswinging movement of the plate 16 is permitted, for the followingreasons :-The plate should normally be held in a position 111 which theballs which. are supported on the bottoms of the chambers will passclose to its under'side in order that other balls not in the magazinewill not became wedged at this point. In case the balls should, run alittle over size, when-.three balls are piled one on the other, thisenlargement will be correspondingly multiplied, so that the'edge of theplate 16 might engage the top ball and crush it. This difficulty is,however, avoided by .providing means permitting said plate to yieldupwardly to a limited extent, as shown.

Various means by which the discharge tray is driven fromstation tostation may be em loyed, a preferable means comprising a sha t 17 havingan arm at its front endfor oscillating it, which is adapted to beoperated from without the machine when released by a coin controlledmechanism. An arm 18 is mounted on shaft 17 and has a pawl 19 thereon,which is adaptedto enapparent.

gage any one of a series of radial flanges 20, which are centrallylocated on the under side of the tray 12. A stop arm 21 is also mountedon the shaft 17 and a leaf spring 22' is arranged to engage flanges 20to 'prevent rearward rotation of the tray. The manner in which the trayis driven will be When the shaft 17 is rotated forward sufliciently, thepawl 19 will engage a flange 20' and cause the tray to be rotatedforwardly and by the time it has been advanced one station, the finger21 will have been raised into position to be engaged by another flange20,-as shown in Fig. 7 so that, before the tray can be advanced further,the shaft 17 must rotate rearwardly to the startin position. I

if further provide means for indicating the number of articles or ballswhich will be delivered on the next operation of the machine, whichcomprises a-star wheel 24 mounted to rotate .about averticalaxisdirectly in front of the tray 12, the arms ofsaid wheel projectinginto the chambers of the tray, so that, when the trayis rotated,

. the partitions between said chambers successively engage the armsofthe star wheel and cause it to rotate. A circular dial 25 is mounted onthe upper side of the star wheel and has, in the present instance, threeconsecutively arranged sets of figures. 1, .2

and to be successively exhibited at an open ing in a housing 26 which issecured to the frame thereover. The adjustment is such that a figure, 1,2 or 3 will appear according to whether one, two or three balls will bedelivered the next time the machine is operated. 1 1 I With the. abovedescribed device, when the magazine is filled with the balls to bevended, they will be partly supported by the declining bottom plate 9about the tray 12 and partly by the top surface ofthe tray. Also, as allthe chambers in the tray are open at their upper ends, except the one.which is covered y the plate 16, they will all be filled, and eachchamberwill contain one, two or three balls, as the case may be, andthese balls will be retained therein by the'circular partition 7, asshown in Fig. 3.

After one operation of the machine, these" balls will be delivered onthe successive operations as already described. As thechambers are ofonly slightly greater di-- ameter than the diameter of the balls, thereis no possibility of two balls becoming wedged therein, for where thechamber is designed to contain a plurality of balls, they will restdirectly one on the other, as indicated in Fig. 3, and when such achamber I IS moved into register with the side opening over the trayor-the entrances to the chambers therein. When the magazine is nearlyempty, the loose. balls .will all tend to roll down the'inclined bottomplate 9, from the sides and down the convex face of the upper end of thetray from the middle to the periphery of the tray, so that thelastremaining balls will fall into the chambers.

As a result,-by the time a chamber has been moved from the point when itpasses from beneath the plate 16 to the point where it is about to passbeneath it again, it will be completely filled even though the magazineis nearly empty. As the walls of the magazine are transparent thepurchaser can readily see whether the articles will be delivered if themachine is operated, and can ascertain from the dial how many will bedelivered on the next operation, so that there will be no uncertainty asto what the purchaser will'receive for his coin.

I claim 1 1. A vending machine comprising a magazine for the articles tobe vended, a cylindrically shaped delivering tray mounted to rotateabout a central vertical axis with its upper end forming a bottomportion of the magazine, and having a series of peripherally arrangedarticle receiving chambers opening to the upper end of the tray-and tothe side thereof to permit the articles to pass from the magazine intosaid chambers and .be laterally discharged therefrom,

' means carried by the tray, and disposed at shaped tray mounted torotate about a the lower ends of saidchambers, for supporting thearticles therein, and means dis- 7 posed adjacent the 'side of the trayto retain the articles in said chambers and to permit the same to bedischarged laterally therefrom, successively, at a predetermined point.

2. A vending machine comprising an article-receiving magazine, acylindrically "shaped delivering tray mounted to rotate about a centralvertical axis with its upper end forming a bottom portion of themagazine andhaving a series of peripherally ar- ;ranged articlereceiving chambers opening to the upper end of'the tray and to the sidethereof to permit thearticles to pass from the magazine into saidchambers and to be laterally discharged therefrom, means carried by thetray and disposed at the lower ends of said chambers for supporting thearticles therein, and a casing encircling said tray in position toretain the articles in said chambers and having an opening into registerwith which the side 0 enings are moved successively to permit ischargeof the chambers at a predetermined point.

3. A vending machine comprising an article-receiving magazine, acylindrically shaped delivering traymounted to rotate about a centralvertical axis with its upper end forming a bottom portion of themagazine and having a series of peripherally arran ed article receivingchambers opening to t e upper end of the tray and to the side thereof topermit the articles to pass from the magazine into said' chambers and tobe laterally discharged therefrom, means formed with the tray andarranged to support the articles in said chambers and to facilitategravity discharge of the articles laterally therefrom, and meansdisposed about said tray in position to prevent such discharge except ata predetermined point.

4:. A machine for vending spherical articles of uniform diametercomprising a discharge, and a stationary casing having a verticallydisposed face encircling said tray in proximity thereto, to retain thearticles in said chambers andhaving an opening to permit dischargetherefrom at a predetermined point.

5. A machine for vending spherical articles of uniform diametercomprising a magazine for said. articles, a cylindrically centralvertical axis with its upper end forming a portion ofthe magazine bottomand having a series'of peripherally arranged chambers adapted to receivesaid articles and corresponding in diameter thereto, said chambers beingopen at their upper ends and outer sides to permit free entrance of thearticles thereto at the top and discharge therefrom at the side, andhaving bottoms formed with the tray for supporting the articles thereinadapted to conduce to the discharge therefrom,-said bottoms beingarranged at different predetermined distances from the upper end of thetray correspond- 106 ing to the diameter and to multiples of thediameter of the articles, and a casing independent of, and extendingabout said tray, for normally retaining the articles in said chambersand adapted to release them successively at a predetermined point in thetravel of the tray.

6. A machine for.ve nding spherical ar .ticles of uniform sizecomprising a magazine for said articles, a cylindrical discharge traymounted to rotate about a central vertical axis with its upper endforming a'portion of the magazine bottom, and having a series ofcircular, vertically disposed chambers arranged about its periphery andcore-77.. responding in diameter to the diameter of the articles, saidchambers being open to" their full size at their upper ends and outersides and having outwardly and downwardl inclined bottoms formed withthe tray disposed at distances from its upper end corresponding to saiddiameter, a circular casing enclosing said tray with its inner surfacein proximity to the sides thereof, to retain the articles in saidchambers and 130 having a discharge opening with which the forsaidarticles, a cylindrical discharge tray mounted to rotate about a centralvertical axis with its upper 'end forming a portion of the magazinebottom, and having a series ofcircular, vertically disposed chambers arranged about its periphery and corresponding in diameter to thediameterof the articles, said chambers being open to their full size attheir up er ends and outer sides and having outwar ly and downwardlyinclined bottoms formed with the tray disposed at different distancesfrom its upper end corresponding to said diameter and to multiples ofsaid diameter, so that a plu rality of said articles may be supported ina portion of said chambers one directly on the other, a circular casingenclosing said tray wlth its inner surface in proxlmity to the sidesthereof, to retain the articles in said chambers, and having a dischargeopening corresponding in dimensions to the side opening of the deepestof said chambers so arranged that the open sides of said chambers willbebrought into register therewith successively, a discharge passage and aguiding plate extending obliquely outward from said casing opposite saidopening to direct the articles held in said '0 ambers to said passage inthe order in which they were supported. I a 8. A machine for vendingspherical 'art1- cles of uniform size comprlsing a magazine for saidarticles, a cylindrical discharge trayv mounted to rotate about acentral vertical axis with its upper end forming a portion of themagazine bottom, and having a series of circular, vertically disposedchambers arranged about its periphery and correspond-- tic es, saidchambers bein open to their full size at their upper ends d outer sidesand having outwardly and downwardly inclined bottoms formed with thetray disposed at different distances from itsupper end corresponding tosaid diameter and to multiples of said diameter, so that a plurallty ofsaid articles may be supported 1n a portion of said chambers onedirectly on the other, a circular casing enclosing said tray.cut-otfplate having me as i with. said articles is'passed-therebeneath:

in diameter to' the diameter of the arwhen held in registering positionin prox-i imity to the upper aidi ray, Said g I Ward yielding thereof;-

; 9. A machine .ifor v'endin sph'e'ri'c'al articles ofuniformdiameter-.comprising a magazine for" receiving said articles, acylindrically shaped delivering ,tray mounted to. rotate about avertical axis with its upper end closing themagazine at its bottom, saidtray having a series of peripherally arranged chambers of a diametercorresponding to the diameter of said; articles, said chambers openingto the upper end of the tray to receive said articles from the magazineand to the. side thereof to permit their discharge' and being arrangedin corresponding groups, the chambers of each group having outwardlydeclining bottoms formed with the tray and'disposed at distances fromthe upper endof the tray corresponding tothe diameter and'multiples ofthe diameter of the articles in regular order, and means enclosin thetrayv arranged to permit-discharge 'o [the articles in each chamber insuccession at 'a' predeterminedv point and to prevent such discharge atall other points, whereby'the tray will deliver different numbers.ofarticles in 'a'series of regular sequences as it is rotated.

1O. A machine for vending spherical articles of uniform diameter,comprising a magazine, a cylindricallyshaped discharge tray mountedto.'rotate about a central vertical axis with its upper end arranged toform a portion of the bottom of the magazine, said tray having. a seriesof vertically 1 and radiallyg disposed partitions extending to the upperend and peripheral side thereof and providing a series of articlereceiving chambers therebetween, permitting entrance l of thearticlesthereto at the top and side of the tray, the width of saidchambers at the periphery being greater than the diameter of thearticles, roviding spaces between the endfportion's o' th Partitions andthe 7' articles when held'inthe chambers, and a magazine bottom portionhaving its upper n5 surface declining to the endof the parti-.

tions below the level of the upper edges thereof, to permit articles onsaid bottom portion, at its inner edge, to be held in po si-tion to beengaged by. the end. portionspfim said partitions and moved circularlyand outwardly thereon when the tray is rotated.

11. A machine for vending sphericalarticles of uniform size comprising amaga-,

zine for the articles, a cylindrical shaped 125 discharge tray mountedto rotate about a central vertical axis with its top end forming aportion of the bottom of the magazine and having a series ofperipherally arranged article receiving chambers extend-1 0 from the topend and opening to the peripheral side thereof throughout the heig t ofthe chambers, to permit entrance of the articles to the chambershorizontally,

the width of said chambers at the periphery being greater than thediameter of the articles to be vended, permitting partial entrance ofthe articles in the magazine to the chambers while other articlesare-contained thereby in position to be discharged there from, and amagazine bottom portion extending in proximity to the tray and havingits upper surface declining thereto at points below the upper ends ofthe sides of v the chambers, to permit articlespartly received by thechambers to be part1 supported on said shelf and actuated t ereonits topsurface declining to its periphery and having a series of peripherallyarrangedchambers, each opening to said surface and to the periphery'of,the tray from said sur-' face to\ the bottom of the chamber, and thesides of each chamber extending radially and permitting free entrance ofthe articles thereto horizontally'and a bottom plate for the magazinehaving its top surface declining to the peripheral side of the tray atva' substantial distance below the upper ends of the sides of thechambers, to support the articles in position to extend into saidchambers and to be engaged by the sides thereofand pushed outwardly onsaid platewhen the tra is rotated.

niagazine' having a bottom plateprovided with a circular opening in the,middle therevending machine comprising a of and arranged to decljaie tosaid opening,

a cylindrically shaped discharge tray, mounted to rotate about a con ralvertical axis with its side in proximi to the edge of said bottom plate.to close said opening and having a series of, regularly spaced ar ticlereceiving chambers provided with, hottoms for closing their lower endsand open-v mg to the upper end of the tray and to its sides, from saidupper end to the bottoms thereof, to permitentrance ofthe' articles inthe magazine to'said chambers and lateral discharge therefrom beneathsaid bottom plate, the sides of said chambers ex-- tending radially fromthe axis of the tray and extending vertically for a substantial distanceabove the level of the upper surface of said bottom plate, to engage thearticles in the magazine andcanse agitation thereof when the tray isrotatedand a casing disposed beneath said bottom plate'in position toretain the articles in said. chambers and having an opening to permit;their discharge at a predeterminedpoint; g 141 A machine for v vendingarticles of uniform size comprising a magazine'for the farticles, arotatable tray having a series of chambers, each chamber of the seriesbeing constructed and arranged to receive a predetermined number of thearticles from the "magazine which is different from that received .by'each of the others in thatseries and to deliver, on successive operativemovements of the tray to 'a discharging position, a different numberofthe articles for each movement until each chamber of the series hasbeen discharged and means.

whereby the number of articles to be next delivered will be indicated inadvance of each operation.

name to. this specification.

ARTHUR H. DUsGRENIER.

In testimony whereo,'I have signed

